What Might Have Been
by erfan18
Summary: Two lonley people find love in each other. Kelsi feels lonley and Zeke comforts her. Its more a Ryelsi story then anything else


What Might Have Been

**Okay Heaven is frustrating the heck out of me and after watching Kelsi and Zeke in HSM 2 I feel they need a small story of their own, its not exactly an original idea I kinda got the idea after talking to fallinrain last night and put a small spin on the story she suggested (thanks Kim). Anywho please review as always I love any review good or bad **

* * *

December 25th 2012

It was Christmas day and Kelsi Nielson stood in front of a full length mirror examining herself for at least the tenth time that morning. "Maybe I should wear it back" she said pulling her vail back and frowning yet again

"Come on Kels, It looks better over your face besides its a tradition" Sharpay said putting the veil back in its place

"I know I'm just so nervous" Kelsi grimaced feeling the butterflies go into overdrive in her stomach again

"Just calm down and take a deep breath Kelsi, you're marrying the man you love and on Christmas there is no need to be nervous" Gabriella soothed. Kelsi took another deep breath to try and calm her nerves and nodded her head slightly

"Alright I'm going to give the guys their boutonnieres I'll be right back" Taylor said leaving the room

"I'll go with you" Gabriella said "Besides I need to make sure Troy hasn't tried to raid the bar yet"

"I guess I'll go check on Ryan" Sharpay said following the other girls out leaving Kelsi alone in her thoughts

"Thanks guys" she mumbled and stared at herself in the mirror yet again, she began to pace the room trying to calm herself down and found herself staring at herself in the mirror again

"You look beautiful" a voice from behind whispered

"Zeke, what are you doing back here?" Kelsi asked turning around to see her friend in the doorway wearing his tux

"I thought I'd come see you before the ceremony" Zeke smiled

"Well if I don't calm down I'm not sure if there is going to be one" Kelsi sighed sitting down. Zeke grabbed a chair and sat across from her

"It's going to be fine, you love him right?" Zeke asked

"Of course I do why would I agree to marry him if I didn't?" Kelsi asked incredulously

"Alright" Zeke laughed "Just making sure. Just remember that when you go out there that you love him with all your heart and that's the reason you're marrying him"

"Thanks Zeke" Kelsi smiled hugging her friend

"No problem" Zeke laughed letting go. Zeke stared down at his hands for a few moments as they let go of Kelsi's loving the warmth that he felt as he held her, he sighed and brought his gaze up to her eyes

"You okay?" Kelsi asked seeing the look in his eyes

"You ever think that it could have been us up there?" He asked quietly, Kelsi laughed "I mean it what if what happened a few summers back kept going?" Kelsi sighed how could she forget the summer at Lava Springs where two people in pain made each other feel better again?

* * *

It was back in the summer of 2007 Kelsi and the Wildcats were all working at Lava Springs, after Troy got them all jobs there. Kelsi was happy to be working with her friends and she was especially happy to be working in the same place that Ryan's parents owned. But things were not working out to well, Sharpay had manipulated her parents mainly her father into turning Troy into her lackey leaving her own brother out in the cold so to speak. It was Kelsi who comforted him it was Kelsi who suggested to Gabriella that Ryan help the Wildcats in putting on an act for the talent show, but at the staff baseball game it was Gabriella who butted in making it look like the idea was hers and Kelsi was hurt. After watching the Wildcats beat the Lava Springs staff led by Ryan, in a game of baseball she wanted to run up to him and tell him that it was her idea for him to be included but she was pushed aside by Gabriella as she went up to congratulate the new friends Ryan and Chad on a good game. She left the picnic area and went back to the baseball field, she sat in the empty stands and stared out into the night sky

"Stupid men" she said kicking the ground in front of her letting a tear drop fall from her eyes, she must have been sitting there staring at the stars for a while when she heard a small cough come from behind her

"Hey Kels" the voice said, Kelsi feeling embarrassed wiped her eyes quickly and turned to the voice

"Hey Zeke" she whispered trying to mask the hurt in her voice

"Some of the others are going to Gabriella's house for dessert, you coming?" Zeke asked coming closer to her

"I don't think so I should get going home now" Kelsi answered

"You okay?" Zeke asked seeing the tears in her eyes

"I'm just fine" she lied

"Come on Kels, I know when a girl is lying I do have three sisters" he joked sitting down next to her

"It's Ryan" she admitted not looking up at him, Zeke nodded his head he had a feeling that Kelsi was starting to develop feelings for the choreographer just as he had feelings for said person's sister. "It's stupid really, I mean I had told Gabriella about including Ryan in on the talent show since I saw what Sharpay had done to him earlier in the day and it seems just because Sharpay is trying to get Troy she's got to get back at them by hitting on Ryan"

"I'm sure that's not true" Zeke smiled "I mean Troy and Gabriella are in love, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out"

"I guess" Kelsi sighed looking up at the stars "What about you and Sharpay I mean I see the way that you look at her it must be hard to watch her fawn all over Troy"

"I wont argue with you on that," Zeke conceded, it is hard to see it but I know that she's going to get her heart broken and hopefully she'll see that I'm the one that really loves her"

"I hope you're right" Kelsi laughed leaning her head on Zeke's shoulder.

The two friends sat there for a while not saying anything forgetting about the after party and just enjoying each other's company, it wasn't too long before Kelsi's phone started buzzing it was her mom wandering where she was at

"Shoot" Kelsi cursed noticing the time "I better get home before my mom shoots me" Kelsi stood up

"You need a ride home?" Zeke offered

"Actually yes I do since it was Taylor who drove me here today" Kelsi smiled

"No problem" Zeke laughed escorting Kelsi to the parking lot. They drove home in almost silence except for when Kelsi was telling him directions or they were talking about a certain song on the radio, when Zeke pulled up to Kelsi's house all the lights were on and her parents were in the living room watching television

"Thank you again Zeke" Kelsi smiled at her friend

"Any time" Zeke answered escorting her to her door "Look I know that Ryan will eventually come to his senses and see what a wonderful girl you are"

"I hope so, and the same goes for Sharpay you are a wonderful guy Zeke and you deserve someone good for you" Kelsi said

"Well good night" Zeke grinned hugging Kelsi, she leaned into his embrace and felt secure in his arms she was almost reluctant to let go. She slowly pulled back and Zeke had the same look in his eyes

"Good night" she whispered staring into his beautiful eyes. Zeke couldn't stop what happened next as he leaned down to her level and captured her lips in a soft but emotionally filled kiss. After a few minutes they parted for some much needed air

"Wow" Zeke whispered capturing his breath

"Yeah" Kelsi giggled trying to figure out if what just happened happened. Kelsi leaned up again to give Zeke a soft peck on his cheek "Thank you" she said placing her hand where she had just kissed him

"Look I have the day off tomorrow you want to go see a movie or something?" Zeke asked

"Sure you know my number" Kelsi blushed trying to keep her hand on the door so she'd remember its there

"I'll see you then" Zeke grinned letting go of Kelsi and walking back to his car almost misstepping and almost falling down, he regained his balance, smiled goofy up at Kelsi, and made his way back to his car. The next few weeks were like heaven, Zeke and Kelsi had decided to keep their relationship (what it was) a secret, stealing kisses here and there finding times to be alone without the others looking in on them, but as the talent show got nearer and nearer Zeke could see the crush that Kelsi had for Ryan growing and growing, they were even working together to get the show put on and manipulating it so that Gabriella and Troy would end up doing the duet that they had written. Zeke had approached her after the dress rehearsal for the talent show after she left the room

"Hey we still on for tonight?" He asked kissing her cheek

"Oh, Ryan asked if I'd help him with a certain part in the song" Kelsi stumbled out

"Oh" was all Zeke could say "Look Kels"

"Zeke, I think I know what you're going to say" Kelsi cut him off "And you're right, we were just two people who really needed someone and I think if we continue this we'll only end up hurting each other"

"I really am sorry" Zeke said

"So am I, if Ryan and Sharpay never existed I think we would have made a great couple" Kelsi smiled rubbing his hand as she held it "Still friends?" he asked hopefully

"No I hate your guts" he joked winking at her "Just tell him how you feel, you'll feel better for it"

"You too, Sharpay will respect you for it" Kelsi advised "I'll see you around" she finished heading to the dinning room to get ready for dinner that night

The rest of the summer went by so quickly that they never really had time to figure out their true feelings for Ryan and Sharpay, it wasn't really until their senior year that Kelsi was able to tell Ryan her feelings after their wonderful prom night and they ended up becoming a couple even going to Julliard together. Sharpay continued to keep Zeke pining after her but it wasn't until after graduation that Zeke sat her down and told her how he felt about her even staying in Albuquerque to pursue his dream of becoming a world renowned chef and finally making their relationship official Sharpay had finally seen what a good man that Zeke was. Kelsi and Zeke continued their friendship even becoming closer as the years went by.

* * *

Now it was 5 years later and Sharpay and Zeke were engaged while Ryan and Kelsi were prepared to get married.

"You know I look back on that experience as the best time in my life" Kelsi sighed as she came out of her thoughts

"Me too" Zeke smiled "I don't regret a single thing"

"Me neither" Kelsi agreed

"You better get going now, its almost time" Zeke said looking at his watch

"You're right" Kelsi answered "Thank you again, not just for calming me down but for what you did back then it really meant a lot to me" Kelsi hugged him with all she had

"You're welcome now go get married" Zeke said letting go of her

It was a beautiful ceremony, Kelsi couldn't stop staring at the man next to her. Her soon to be husband but in the back of her mind she kept thinking about the one man that was there to comfort her in her most loneliest of times. Zeke would always hold a special place in her heart, but it would always be Ryan who held it in his hands. As the minister told Ryan to kiss her she put in all of her passion into the kiss and would never forget the man who stood next to Ryan as his best man, would be the one who helped her get to the place she is today

_So try not to think about what might have been_

_Cause that was then _

_And we have taken different roads_

_We cant go back again_

_Theres no use giving in _

_And theres no way to know  
What might have been_

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Well that's all, hopefully this small story can get me back on track and have the next chapter of "Heaven" out soon please review as always


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